Data is stored on disk drives utilizing a variety of designs. In one design, a transducer is mounted on a slider that flies or rides on an air bearing or a thin layer of air that is disposed adjacent to a rapidly rotating computer readable disk media (hereafter data storage disk) as the data is transferred between the transducer and the corresponding data storage disk. Collectively, the slider and transducer may be referred to as a head. In any case, the slider is mounted on a suspension or a load beam, that in turn is mounted on a rigid actuator arm or an actuator arm tip of what may be characterized as an actuator arm assembly that is movably interconnected with a disk drive base plate and/or cover. Multiple data storage disks may be utilized by a given disk drive, in which case the actuator arm assembly would include multiple actuator arms/actuator arm tips for mounting multiple suspensions and heads. In any case, the actuator arm assembly moves the various transducers across the corresponding data storage disk in a desired manner and to a desired location on the data storage disk to read and/or write data.
Two types of actuator arm assemblies that are commonly used to move the transducer(s) to the desired location on the corresponding data storage disk are a linear actuator arm assembly and a rotary actuator arm assembly. Linear actuator arm assemblies move at least generally linearly during transition of the transducer(s) across the corresponding data storage disk. Rotational actuator arm assemblies pivot about an axis to transition the transducer(s) across the surface of the corresponding data storage disk along an arcuate path.
When the disk drive is not in operation, the actuator arm assembly may be moved such that its transducer(s) is in a “parked position” that is typically removed or displaced from the data storage area of the corresponding data storage disk. This reduces the potential for damage to the data storage disk(s) and/or transducer(s) In the event that the disk drive is subject to a non-operational shock event or force. In a first type of disk drive, known in the art as a “dynamic load/unload” disk drive, the actuator arm assembly is pivoted to position its transducer(s) to a “parked position” that is located beyond a perimeter of the corresponding data storage disk. In a second type of disk drive, known in the art as a “contact start/stop” disk drive, the actuator arm assembly moves the actuator arm and its transducer(s) to a “parked position” that is located directly on a non-data zone of the corresponding data storage disk, typically near the center of the corresponding data storage disk. In either case, when the disk drive is not operating and if/when the disk drive is exposed to a shock event or force, it is desirable in most cases to at least attempt to retain the actuator arm assembly in the “parked position” to reduce the potential for undesired contact between its transducer(s) and the data storage zone of the corresponding data storage disk.
Various types of latches have been proposed to attempt to retain the actuator arm assembly in the parked position when the disk drive is exposed to shock event or force in a non-operational mode. However, no known latches of this general type effectively handle the desired latching function for a shock event that is totally or at least has a primary component within the “x-y” dimension (e.g., within or parallel to a reference plane that contains the disk drive base plate or within or parallel to a reference plane(s) in which the actuator arm assembly moves during normal disk drive read/write operations), as well as a shock event that is within or at least has a primary component the “z” dimension (e.g., the largest force component being normal to the disk drive base plate or to a reference plane in which the actuator arm assembly moves during read/write operations).